Globally education policy, practice and research has emphasized the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) secondary schools in diminishing the skills-gap in STEM disciplines. This research presents an outcome evaluation of a STEM-focused secondary school in the Western Cape of South Africa. The evaluation focused on the academic performance of the COSAT learners in comparison to learners who did not form part of the programme. Additionally, the evaluation focused on the retention of COSAT alumni in STEM disciplines. With increased academic performance of COSAT learners as well as the long-term retention of learners in the STEM field this research provides evidence of the intermediate and long-term impact of a STEM secondary school.

Includes bibliographical references. / Child sexual abuse is a prevalent problem in South Africa. There are reports of child sexual abuse of very young children in the media on an almost daily basis. South African Police Services reports show that children are victims in almost 50 of all reported cases of indecent assault and rape. It is well reported that only a fraction of sexual offences are ever reported as this is often an illicit and secret activity. South Africa has many factors which contribute to this high prevalence and incidence of child sexual abuse. These factors include poverty as well as the legacy of Apartheid with its unequal distribution of power, wealth and the breakdown of family structures, as well as South Africa's sexist, patriarchal and violent culture.

Evaluations can only be effective if evaluators provide clients with improvements that are easy to understand, implement and fit their needs. Often evaluation recommendations are not used because these factors are overlooked once the evaluation has been completed. This evaluation assessed whether the client used the evaluation improvements recommended to them by evaluators. It presents a follow-up evaluation to a Process Evaluation conducted in 2006 on a Grant-making Organisation's Capacity Building Programme. It focuses on the Enhancement of Capacity Programme which is a core training programme within the Capacity Building Programme of the Grant-making Organisation. Furthermore this evaluation provides a programme description, a programme theory and a plausibility assessment of the programme theory.

The purpose of this evaluation was to investigate the effects of a volunteer-run, school-based Wordworks Early Literacy intervention that was implemented in the Western Cape for struggling Grade One learners at risk of falling into the Learning Achievement Gap. The process evaluation investigated the extent to which volunteers received adequate training to deliver the programme to learners, as well as the perceived benefits that volunteers gained from this experience. The outcome evaluation investigated the extent to which several literacy and psychosocial development indicators improved amongst children who took part in The Wordworks Early Literacy Programme (ELP). Secondary data from volunteer programme records such as attendance of training sessions, volunteers' reasons for leaving the programme where applicable, and a Volunteer Feedback survey detailing perceived benefits of volunteering, were analysed to ascertain the volunteer outcomes. Secondly, data from learner assessments measuring changes in literacy indicator variables (such as letter knowledge, sentence construction ability, and reading ability), in 3 cohorts of learners enrolled in the programme, were analysed. Cohort 1 consisted of the 2014 12-month programme, Cohort 2 of the 2014 6-month programme and Cohort 3 of the 2015 6-month programme. Thirdly, qualitative data from responses given in a Teachers Feedback survey, detailing perceived changes in learner psychosocial well-being, were analysed.

A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Ph d (Community Psychology) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Zululand, 2006. / This thesis has been concerned with community psychology and in particular, the promotion of the newspaper advice column as a community psychology resource. Throughout the world, advice columns provide help and information in thousands of languages reaching millions of people. This resource is unique in that it is instantly and repeatedly accessible. This study explored how this resource can be improved and extended so that it could serve as a valuable community support. This thesis arose from the work of the author who has been engaged in replying to readers' concerns in a community newspaper over a period of eight years. The study takes into consideration the traditional background of readers and the author combines his personal experience and a professional psychological approach in answering their concerns. Various theoretical models in community psychology are presented and newspaper articles that expound each of these models are examined. Actual articles from newspapers are quoted and pictorial examples are included in the appendix. The value of newspapers as a community psychology resource is highlighted. Both qualitative and quantitative data were elicited. The research design made use of the Likert scale as an instrument of measure. Questionnaires were completed by readers and assessments done by colleagues in psychology. Their findings were analysed and presented as a summary of recommendations on how the advice column can best serve the community as a resource. / National Research Foundation (NRF).

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore ways to include students with significant disabilities in school climate measures. Student perceptions of school climate are generally collected through self-report surveys. These tools may be inaccessible to students with significant cognitive, language, physical or other challenges. This study had two main research objectives: to understand how core school climate constructs apply to the experience of students with significant disabilities and to explore the development of a meaningful tool that could be used to capture their experience. To address the first goal, a series of in-depth interviews were conducted with staff, parents, and students from a private special education day program to learn how the key school climate constructs of Engagement, Safety, and Environment from the US DOE 2019 Safe and Supportive Schools framework applied to the experience of students with significant disabilities. Results from this initial phase of the study included themes related to understanding difference, supporting authentic relationships, meaningful participation and accessibility, independence, and qualities of the physical learning environment. This data was applied in the second phase of the study to develop a rating scale that could potentially be used to include the experience of students with significant disabilities in school climate measures. Using the 2018 Massachusetts Views of Climate and Learning survey as a model and incorporating the interview data, parent and staff versions of the School Climate Rating Scale were created. A focus group and two rounds of cognitive laboratory interviews were conducted to assess how potential respondents would interpret and respond to the rating scale prompts. Feedback was also gathered about the viability of the School Climate Rating Scale as an alternate measurement tool for students with significant disabilities and experiences of school climate. / 2024-01-26T00:00:00Z

No description available.

This report presents the findings of an outcomes evaluation of the Zimbabwe Technical Assistance, Training and Education for Health's (Zim-TTECH) cervical cancer intervention in Harare and Epworth districts (Harare Metropolitan province). This programme seeks to improve access and uptake of cervical cancer screening and treatment among women living with HIV through recruitment, training and mentorship of nurses, procurement of equipment and commodities, providing support for diagnosis and referral for treatment services, and quality assessment of cervical cancer services. The evaluation interrogated the plausibility of the programme theory of the Zim-TTECH intervention and assessed its short- and medium outcomes. Methods The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach with both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. This comprised a desk review of programme documents and relevant literature, secondary analysis of programme routine data and collection of primary data. Quantative descriptive analysis was conducted to determine coverage (in percentage) of Zim-TTECH cervical cancer services between 2019- 2021. Qualitative analysis was used to complement quantitative data and aid in the interpretation of programme results. Key Results This assessment showed that the Zim-TTECH cervical cancer intervention contributed to the increase in awareness among women living with HIV and health workers. The programme capacitated health workers to conduct effective health education and awareness-raising campaigns for cervical cancer. The evaluation revealed that the Zim-TTECH cervical cancer intervention improved access to cervical cancer services among women living with HIV. Additionally, the intervention did not deny women who were HIV-negative services though the reach for this group is not routinely documented and reported. Results from the evaluation showed that LEEP was the main treatment type used in Harare and Epworth followed by cryotherapy and thermablation techniques. This assessment also showed that the Zim-TTECH cervical cancer intervention contributed positively to the following areas: increasing access to cervical cancer services, early detection of pre-cancers and invasive disease and increased health education and awareness of cervical cancer among women and health workers. The evaluation also revealed some negative implications of the Zim-TTECH intervention on the health system which include the following: the programme‘s screening resulted in the detection of invasive cervical cancer cases which were referred to weak and ill-capacitated public health facilities, and most screening services are offered in HIV clinics which results in some women who are not HIV positive not wanting to screen for fear of stigma and the programme also contributed to staff attrition in public health facilities as they search for better opportunities in the NGO sector and outside the country. The Zim-TTECH cervical cancer programme rapidly adjusted to the new COVID-19 protocols in 2020 to ensure continuity of services though the demand side was affected by protracted lockdowns. The programme has also been keeping in tandem with technological evolutions including the adoption of thermoablative techniques and planning for the rolling out of highly sensitive human papilloma virus (HPV) DNA testing in line with Ministry of Health strategies and WHO guidelines. However, discussions are still ongoing on the adoption of HPV screening as the primary method as it will negate the ‘see and treat' approach. This evaluation showed that cervical cancer services were likely to continue in Harare and Epworth after the cessation of Zim-TTECH support albeit at a lower scale. The Zim-TTECH intervention is based in public health facilities that have been offering cervical cancer services even before partner support came through and these are likely to continue in their absence. Conclusions Findings from this evaluation showed that Zim-TTECH cervical cancer intervention was relatively effective with regards to short-medium term outcomes, although the COVID-19 pandemic saw disruptions of cervical cancer services which affected service delivery/uptake in 2020-2021. However, the key shortfalls of the intervention revealed in this evaluation showed systemic/structural gaps with the design of health interventions in the country as well as the vertical approaches which are also being perpetuated by donors. Additionally, given the huge resource shortfalls in the MoHCC due to protracted underfunding, there is evidence of limited coordination/leadership capacities to guide partners who come up with piecemeal interventions. Despite the revealed shortcomings of the intervention there are opportunities to improve services including treatment of invasive cervical cancer. Overall, better partnerships and coordination among government, NGOs and donors will be a game changer in ensuring continuity of services for cervical cancer in low-resource settings.

First a theoretical framework for the understanding of intercultural sensitivity was developed. George Kelly's personal construct theory was applied in the definition and in the elaboration of this construct. This theory was selected after a review of various approaches in the understanding of this construct. Based on the developed framework, an instrument was then constructed to measure intercultural sensitivity, or a person's potential to adapt successfully in cross cultural situations. This instrument, the Survey of Intercultural Constructs (SIC), is intended as a research tool to be used with people undergoing cross cultural training. It is general rather than culture specific, and is applicable in a wide variety of cultural situations, and with different types of people. The SIC is based on the notion that intercultural behavior can be explained in part by differences in personalities or construction systems. Personal construct theory states that people look at others through constructs they create or choose, and then test against reality. A construct is a way in which at least two things are similar and contrast with a third. To analyze people's cognitive processes, information is needed about the content and structure of their construction systems. The SIC elicits the constructs a person applies to people of the same and of other cultures. A preliminary version of the SIC was developed and tried out on 50 people. The data obtained was used primarily to improve the draft instrument. A few preliminary validity studies were also conducted with it. The preliminary version of the SIC was reviewed by an expert in the field of tests and measurements. His comments, together with comments obtained from the tryout sample, were used in the development of the second version. A review of the second version by 13 experts in the area of cross cultural training led to the development of the final version of the instrument. No validity or reliability studies were conducted with the final version. Therefore validity and reliability studies on it are needed, and recommendations to that effect are made.

An issue of primary concern for computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is that of maintaining viable item pools. There is an increased need for items within the CAT framework, which places greater demand on item calibration procedures. This dissertation addressed the important problem of calibrating pretest items within the framework of CAT. The study examined possible ways to incorporate additional information available in the CAT environment into item parameter estimation, with the intent of improving accuracy of item parameter estimates. Item parameter estimates were obtained in a number of ways, including: using five different Bayesian priors, four sample sizes, two different fixed abilities for calibration, and two sampling strategies. All variables were compared in a simulation study. Results for sample size were not surprising. As sample size decreased, the error in the estimates increased. Also as expected, fixing true abilities resulted in more accurate item parameter estimates than fixing an estimate of ability for calibration. Bayesian priors effected item parameter estimates differently, depending on the sampling strategy used. In the random pretesting strategy, more general priors produced the best results. For the focused pretesting strategy, the item-specific priors produced the best results if the priors were good, and the worst results if the priors were poor. When comparing results for the random and focused sampling strategies in terms of item difficulty, the random conditions produced slightly more accurate estimates than the focused conditions for the majority of items. However, the focused conditions produced much better estimates of item difficulty for very easy and very difficult items. The random conditions resulted in far more accurate estimates of item discrimination than the focused conditions. In conclusion, the focused samples used in the study appear to have been too focused. Future research could investigate different ways of sampling examinees to ensure that sufficient variability is obtained for better estimation of item discrimination. Ways of translating judgmental information about items into numerical priors for estimation is another area in need of more study. Finally, an interesting and useful extension of this work would be to examine the effect of poor item parameter estimates on ability estimation.